Some people believe that the world is experiencing a religious revival. But is it really? Church attendance has been falling for years. Many people call themselves Christian even though they rarely if ever attend a church service.

What actually makes a person Christian?

Are you a Christian? Are you a churchgoer? Should you be? Does God care which church you join, or whether you join any at all? Does He lead all of them? Does He lead any of them? Are some churches false churches?

Thankfully, the Bible answers all these questions.

Jesus Christ, whom all Christians claim to follow, promised, “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Not only did Jesus found a church, He said it would never die. That means the church He founded still exists today.

In addition, God instructs His true servants not to forsake the assembling of themselves together (Hebrews 10:25). He wants us meeting together in fellowship with other believers. He wants us “going to church”—for many reasons.

Consider further: The Bible says clearly and repeatedly that true Christians must “speak the same thing” and have “no divisions among you,” and that they must be “perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” God does not intend for His followers to be dispersed among various groups with conflicting beliefs. He requires them to be united—just as unified as God and Jesus Christ are! Read Jesus’s prayer in John 17. That is a very different picture from a “Christianity” splintered into tens of thousands of different denominations.

Here is still more truth: The Bible repeatedly warns against “false prophets,” “false Christs” and “false teachers” bringing “another gospel.” It warns that there will be many who rightly teach that Jesus is the Christ—yet at the same time deceive many. Not only does God warn about false churches, He forbids you from joining in worship with them. Do you know how to tell God’s true Church from a false church? If not, you are susceptible to making a serious mistake.

These are easily provable truths in your Bible that undermine what a great many people carelessly assume about church attendance. The fact is, most people simply do not study deeply into what the Bible says about these things. What about you?

Perhaps you want to attend God’s Church—but where is it? How can you join it?

Believe it or not, the Bible says you cannot simply decide to “join” God’s true Church!

Jesus Christ said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him …” (John 6:44). The Apostle Paul wrote, “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him” (1 Corinthians 12:18). This means it is impossible for you to choose to join the true Church of God. God the Father must specifically call you—draft you—and set you in the Body of Christ!

In fact, the very word the New Testament uses for “church” is the Greek word ekklesia, which means a group of called-out ones.

These are just a few of the most basic things you must prove to yourself—straight from your own Bible—before you start attending a church!

The question of whether to join a church, and which church is the true Church of God, is much deeper and much more important than the vast majority of Christians assume. You must prove to yourself the answers to these questions. You must use the Bible and the words of Jesus Christ to understand.

If God is calling you, then you must respond. This booklet aims to help you find and prove the answers to those questions—and to find and prove, based on the truths of the Bible, which Church is truly God’s.

To most people, the idea that there is only one true Church seems preposterous. Of all the religious institutions in the world, is it possible only one is led by God?

There are more than 2 billion Christians in the world, and they all undoubtedly believe they are, to one degree or another, following God. There are 45,000 Christian churches, denominations or organizations. Each believes it is following Jesus Christ. Yet all have teachings and practices that differ and directly conflict with one another.

The idea that there is only one true Church of God is controversial, though many biblical passages support it. Even if we set the Bible aside for a moment and think about this rationally, does it make sense that God would have multiple, incompatible views and opinions on any given doctrine or practice? Somehow, millions of Christians and their leaders find it easier to assume this than to believe that God leads only one true Church.

Does it make sense that the Church Christ founded would be divided into many different sects and denominations? That Christ would be Head of many different organizations, each teaching different doctrines? God is not the author of confusion; He does things “decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40; the word “churches” in verse 33 merely refers to various congregations of the one true Church, as we shall see later). Teachings that contradict one another cannot all be true and could not all be inspired by Christ!

Most people have never really thought through these crucial questions.

Do you believe there is only one true Church? If you are Christian, this is one of the most fundamental questions you could answer.

What does the Bible say on this essential subject? Can you prove from the Bible whether there is only one true Church? Can you know where it is?

False Christianity

Before we tackle the subject of God’s one true Church, let’s briefly consider the multiple thousands of Christian churches and where they came from. Did Jesus Christ know about them? If so, what did He say about them?

In Matthew 24, Jesus Christ prophesied of His Second Coming. He gave specific signs that would occur beforehand, one of which was the impact of false religion. He specifically told, not the world at large, but His disciples, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (verses 4-5).

Jesus explicitly warned that there would arise false churches claiming to speak in His name. He was not warning about the 20 or so competing non-Christian religions of the world. Nor was He describing the few far-out figures who would claim that they were Jesus reincarnated. He was specifically warning that there would be people in the end time who would claim to be Christian and appear to proclaim Christ—but who would be deceivers.

Many people today claim to be Christian. They proclaim Christ. Yet they deceive many!

“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many” (verses 10-11). This is a prophecy about religious leaders who claim to preach Christ but are actually “false prophets” who “deceive many”! It is one of several such prophetic warnings in the Bible, and it comes straight from Jesus Christ.

“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (verses 23-24). This is an extensive warning from Jesus Himself to beware false Christianity.

Christ said that “if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” This clearly indicates that there are two types of Christians: false Christians and true Christians, the latter of which is a single group of “very elect.”

Christians are to follow Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6). He Himself warned that false churches would arise, claiming to speak in His name. Yes, some churches acknowledge the reality that Christ was the Son of God and yet simultaneously deceive you.

The Apostle Paul was even more detailed, warning against “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness …” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Did you know that Satan the devil has ministers?

The original apostles were certainly aware of false Christianity. During the first century, they fought hard not only against Jewish religious leaders who denied Jesus Christ but also against the emergence of a counterfeit Christianity that was already deceiving true Christians. Paul warned true Christians in Galatia to resist the deception of false Christian ministers who were preaching “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6-8).

A Misunderstood Symbol in Prophecy

Powerful prophecies about false Christianity are also found in the book of Revelation, which also came directly from God the Father through Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1). Many Christians are familiar with its description of the “four horsemen of the apocalypse.” The first of these is described in the “first seal” of Revelation 6:2: “And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”

Many believe this prophecy portrays Jesus Christ. They compare it to a similar symbol in Revelation 19. There a rider on a white horse is “called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war” (verse 11). This rider, who carries a sword, is clearly Jesus Christ.

The Revelation 6 rider is similar—yet he carries a bow, and he is the first horseman of the apocalypse. What does he represent?

The identity of the Revelation 6 rider is actually unlocked by Jesus’s end-time prophecy in Matthew 24. This first horseman matches His warning about people coming in His name: false teachers and false apostles with false gospels about false Christs!

“… Christ’s own revealing of the meaning is that this white horse of the first seal pictures exactly the opposite—those preaching a false Christ, different from the Christ of the New Testament!” Herbert W. Armstrong wrote. “It refers to this great deception that has descended like a dark cloud to cover the Earth and hide from it the glorious truth of God!” (The Book of Revelation Unveiled at Last).

The white horse of Revelation 6 represents false Christianity! It is another prophecy from Jesus Christ of global religious deception.

In the first century of God’s Church, those who followed Jesus Christ witnessed Church leaders changing the gospel message. Rather than continuing to preach the same gospel Christ preached, these leaders focused on preaching a report about Jesus. Within decades of Christ’s death and resurrection, a false Christianity arose. This false religion would go on to oppose God’s true Church for 2,000 years, right up to the present day.

Learn about the 2,000-year war between true Christianity and false Christianity: Request your free copy of The True History of God’s True Church, by Gerald Flurry.

Can you accept what the Bible says? There is such a thing as false Christianity.

There are more than 2 billion Christians in 45,000 denominations on Earth today. These scriptures reveal the astounding truth that most of them are false Christians.

But does this mean that there is, in fact, only one true Church?

‘My Church’

Matthew 16 is the first place in the New Testament where the word church is mentioned.

During a visit to Caesarea, Jesus asked His disciples if they knew His true identity. Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (verse 16). God had revealed the correct answer to Peter (verse 17). Christ then delivered a prophecy about God’s Church and Peter’s role in it.

In verse 18, He told Peter, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

This statement is plain and authoritative. Christ said He would establish “my church”—singular—and that His Church would never die.

Christ’s words can be trusted. This one true Church must still exist today.

The word church in Matthew 16:18 is translated from the Greek word ekklesia, which means “called-out ones.” The Church Jesus founded is a group of called-out ones. The Bible consistently describes it as one united group of individuals who are called out of this world by God and who belong to Christ.

Read more about Christ’s explanation of the Church of God in your free copy of Mystery of the Ages, by Herbert W. Armstrong, particularly Chapter 6, “Mystery of the Church.”

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ not only founded this Church but is also its living Head, its active Leader. Colossians 1:18 says Christ “is the head of the body, the church.” In Ephesians 5:23 we read that “Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.”

Several more scriptures use this comparison of God’s Church with the human body. This symbol of Christ’s body is a key to proving whether there is only one true Church.

One Body

Ephesians 4:4-6 say, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

This passage essentially describes the relationship between God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Church of God. In just three verses, God inspired the use of the word “one” seven times! It is undeniable: There is only “one body” of Christ—one true Church. There is only “one Spirit,” which implies oneness in the spiritual understanding and growth the Holy Spirit imparts. There is only “one hope”—one true gospel message, one accurate vision of the future. There is “one Lord”—one living Jesus Christ actively leading His people. There is “one baptism”—one teaching about salvation. There is only “one God and Father,” one true understanding about who and what God is.

Now think about what Christianity teaches regarding these foundational subjects: Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the gospel, baptism, the nature of God. There are literally hundreds of conflicting doctrines and practices. Some churches have the same teaching on one or more of these crucial doctrines but invariably disagree on others. No two churches are perfectly at one on every doctrine, teaching, practice and judgment.

How do you reconcile that with “one body, and one Spirit … one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father”?

If you believe Ephesians 4 and the other scriptures about the true Church of God, then you must accept that all these differing individuals and churches cannot be led by Jesus!

God inspired the use of the “body” analogy again in 1 Corinthians 12. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (verse 12). What a clear, perfect explanation: Just as each human body consists of many parts and organs, God’s one true Church is comprised of many individual members, “yet but one body” (verse 20).

This scripture clearly refers to individuals within the Church, not to many churches, sects or denominations. Verse 13 makes this plain: “For by one Spirit are we [Church members] all baptized [you baptize an individual, not a group] into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” There it is again: God places individuals—Jews and Gentiles, slaves and freemen, young and old, black and white—into “one Spirit” and “one body.”

This whole passage beautifully describes the true Church of God. God forms it from individuals of all races, ages and backgrounds, bringing them together as one living, active spiritual organism that serves its Head, Jesus Christ—in the same way that your physical body is directed by your head.

Colossians 2:19 uses this same symbolism, describing Christ as the Head “from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God” (Revised Standard Version).

Now, who decides which individuals are in the Body of Christ, the Church? Verse 18 of 1 Corinthians 12 states that God Himself sets each member in the Church. This is corroborated in John 6:44.

The passage in 1 Corinthians 12 concludes by emphasizing the importance of Church organization—so that “there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another” (verse 25). Unlike the countless schisms among the various churches calling themselves Christian, God ensures that His true Church is united, with all members perfectly agreed on doctrines and working in unison under the Head, Jesus Christ.

A great part of this unity comes through the ministerial offices Christ places in His Church. “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers …” (verse 28). Ephesians 4:11-13 also mention this government structure and explicitly say that His chosen and faithful ministers are there “for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith.” Those ministers watch over the Church members and “must give account” before God in how they do, so it is important that the members “[o]bey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves” (Hebrews 13:17).

These scriptures and many more clearly describe a well-organized and structured Church.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). Here is another scripture emphasizing that true Christians are not divided over doctrines and beliefs.

If Jesus Christ were leading the many churches and sects—not to mention all the individual “loner” Christians in this world, all of whom are divided over conflicting doctrines and policies—then the Body of Christ would be full of schisms. The Bible says this is not so: True followers of Christ “all speak the same thing,” having the “same mind” and the “same judgment.”

Clearly, the many differing and opposing churches of Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism do not “all speak the same thing.” No—Christianity is divided into many different churches, denominations and sects all believing different doctrines for one simple reason, whether or not people want to believe it: Not all Christians are true Christians.

More Proofs

Study the following scriptures and you will more fully understand the Bible’s teaching of what God’s true Church is and is not.

Study Ephesians 2:18-22. These verses state that members of God’s Church are part of the “household of God,” which is a “building fitly framed together.” Paul mentions only one household and one building.

Study John 14-17. Christ’s words prior to His crucifixion repeatedly emphasize unity between God the Father, Christ the Son and true Christians: “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one …” (John 17:23). In no sense are the 2 billion Christians of the world—often engaged in theological, political and literal war with one another—“perfect in one,” united by the Word of God and led by Jesus Christ in worshiping God the Father.

In John 15, Jesus describes God the Father as the owner of a vineyard, Himself as the one single “true vine,” and the individual members of the Church as the branches. This analogy portrays the Body of Christ, the Church of God, as united and organized, not a collection of “loner Christians” and disparate groups. The one true Vine is not several separate vines. And the individual members are all joined to that one Vine.

That is another crucial point: This “one body” does not consist of many independent, isolated individuals, people who consider themselves Christian or part of God’s true Church but who choose not to affiliate or assemble with the organized body of God’s Church. They may believe they are united with Jesus, but they are not part of the unified spiritual Body of which Christ is the Head! They are not receiving that spiritual nourishment that comes only through Christ’s government via His chosen and faithful ministers.

To be trained by Christ, to fulfill the purpose for which He founded His Church and to prepare for His Kingdom, an individual must become part of that one spiritual organism that He leads. Yes, God might work with individuals outside that Church to prepare them (e.g. Jude 1)—but if He is calling them, then He is calling them to be baptized into His one true Church.

A true, valid baptism is also imperative. The Bible clearly commands full-immersion water baptism by a true minister of God (Acts 2:38; 8:38-39) after sincere repentance and understanding and belief in the true gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:14-15). It is through such a baptism that a person receives the Holy Spirit, by which he becomes a spiritually begotten son of God (Acts 2:38; 19:4-6; Romans 8:9, 14) and truly a member of God’s Church. Simply agreeing with God’s Church, regularly reading its materials, and even supporting it financially does not make someone a member.

With all the members being led by the Spirit of God, which is the very mind of Jesus Christ in them (Philippians 2:5), the true spiritual unity that God desires is able to infuse His Church.

Ponder Psalm 133:1: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” God desires to bring all human beings into unity with their Creator! Is He accomplishing that through 45,000 disunited churches teaching disparate doctrines about God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son? Of course not.

Study Revelation 19, which prophesies that Jesus Christ will return to Earth in glory. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (verse 7). This describes Christ’s marriage to His Bride, which is the Church of God (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23-32). There is only one wife—the one Body of Christ, the one Church of God, called to marry Him and assist Him in fulfilling the gospel message of restoring the government of God to Earth.

Study Romans 12:16; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 1:27; 2:2-4 and 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:13 and 1 Peter 3:8. These passages show that God’s people have one mind and one accord. They are unified and at peace with one another socially, doctrinally and spiritually.

Study Romans 16:17; 2 Corinthians 11:4 and James 3:14-18, which show that strife and division do not come from God. Christ actively leads His Church, and He does not tolerate doctrinal inconsistencies, disagreements nor divisions. In fact, He commands that dissenters be purged from the fellowship.

The more you study the Bible, the clearer the answer becomes. How many true churches of God exist on Earth today? Tens of thousands? Hundreds? Just a few? Or is it zero?

The Bible is clear: Only one.

Christ said, “I will build my Church” and that it would never be destroyed. He said God the Father calls individuals and places them into that Church. And He said true Christians must reject false churches and false teachings about Christ.

Is God calling you? If so, how can you find the one true Church of God?

It isn’t necessarily the church closest to your house. Or the church with the best activities or the most convenient service times. Or the church your family or friends attend. Or the one with the most engaging pastor or priest.

The right answer depends not on what is popular, what seems right, or what matches your assumptions and reasoning. It is a matter of what the Bible reveals.

As we have seen, the Bible reveals that there are churches that will lead you away from God. To discern a false minister or a false church, you must know the teachings of Jesus Christ. If you casually accept a church’s teaching because it sounds good, you will be led astray.

Follow the example of the Bereans: Search the Scriptures to see whether what you are hearing matches the Bible (Acts 17:11). “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Christ Taught Only a Few

This may shock you, but the Bible clearly shows that the purpose of the true Church of God is not to try to “save the world” today. If that were its purpose, you would have to admit that, in an increasingly confused and secular world, it is failing.

The true purpose for which Christ founded His Church is entirely misunderstood by modern religion.

During His human lifetime, Jesus made no attempt to gain converts or to invite people to “give their hearts to Him” or to “accept Him as their personal Savior.” Instead, He gave much of His teaching to the crowds in parables. Why? When His disciples asked Him that very question, He answered, “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. … Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand” (Matthew 13:11, 13).

Christ was not trying to make the truth more understandable to the public; He was hiding the truth from them! He spoke in symbol and code before the crowds, then He explained the meaning of His parables in private to the 12 disciples, those few “called-out” students. He said to them, “But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them” (verses 16-17).

Study this whole passage and think about the fact that Jesus gave true spiritual understanding to only a handful of disciples. That alone exposes a lot of common misconceptions regarding the purpose of the Church.

‘Little Flock’

God yearns to save all men, not just a few (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). Jesus was grieved when He saw the spiritual destitution of His day. He wanted to help the masses. He did all He could to minister to them and heal them (Matthew 9:35-38). But His purpose at that time was not to save them all spiritually. If it were, then you would have to admit that He failed!

Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus preached to throngs of thousands upon thousands. Yet at the end of His human life, how many had committed to following Him? How many true students did He have?

Acts 1:15 reveals the stunning answer: only 120 people!

Jesus referred to those few He was working with as a “little flock” (Luke 12:32). And so God’s true Church has remained throughout the centuries.

The rest of the world was cut off from God—and still is!

The Bible shows that God has a master plan for saving the world—“all men,” people living who were not true Christians. This inspiring truth is revealed in scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. As 2 Peter 3:9 says, God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” God and Christ have indeed excluded most human beings for most of history from even knowing about Jesus Christ, let alone accepting Him as their Savior. They have allowed false churches to deceive many. Yet they have a plan to give all mankind the opportunity to come to the knowledge of the truth, to repent and to be saved!

This plan of salvation—the biblical plan of salvation taught by the one true Church of God—is more inclusive than any other church or religion can even imagine!

But this universalist phase of God’s plan comes after Christ’s Second Coming. Before that time, God calls out a small number of people to prepare for that phase. That is the purpose of the true Church!

Churches that are ignorant of this fundamental biblical truth are not being led by Jesus Christ and will lead you into serious error!

Christ never prophesied that His Church would become a large, impressive, politically powerful church ruling over the nations before His return. In fact, Jesus promised that those in His true Church—far from becoming more respected in the community, having business opportunities enhanced, gaining more friends, or rising in social status—would be hated, persecuted and perhaps even killed (John 15:18-19; 16:2).

No wonder the true Church is a “little flock”! It is a small group of sincere, converted people whom God has called out of the world, who have repented and forsaken this world. It is a small, generally scorned Body of believers who are doing the Work of God.

God’s Church has “little strength” (Revelation 3:8). It is a group empowered by Christ, united in beliefs, and under God’s government on Earth, but it is also scattered. It is largely unnoticed by the world. Yet as this verse shows, God sets open doors before it—of mass media and other means—to carry God’s warning message and the gospel of the soon-coming Kingdom of God to the whole world as a last witness.

What Does God’s Church Teach?

When looking for which church is God’s, the very existence of so many churches, denominations and sects, believing vastly different doctrines, emphasizes how easy it is to become part of a false church.

You can find the one true Church of God only by comparing its teachings with the Bible. You can do this doctrine by doctrine.

The religious teachers of Christ’s day did not teach the plain truth of the Bible. That is why people were astonished when they heard Christ’s teachings (Matthew 7:28; 13:54; 22:33; Mark 1:22).

Today it is no different. People, religious or not, are similarly astonished at the message of God’s true Church when they encounter it. It is noticeably different from what you hear from other churches.

For example, God’s true Church teaches the biblical doctrine of the resurrection, rather than a pagan-inspired teaching about an immortal soul destined for either heaven or ever burning hellfire. God’s Church understands the true origins of such paganism that has crept into deceived, counterfeit religion.

In a sense you can use a simple process of elimination to prove which churches could not be God’s Church. Again, the better you understand the Bible, the easier it will be to determine which Church is teaching and living according to God’s Word rather than faulty human traditions.

Let’s examine some of the foundational proofs of God’s true Church.

1) The Church Belongs to God

When God created the first man, He revealed Himself as the Creator, Sustainer and Ruler over His creation, including mankind.

God commanded Abram (later named Abraham), “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Genesis 17:1). The Hebrew for “Almighty God” is El Shaddai, meaning the Mighty God. Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon defines it as “most powerful, Almighty.”

God charged Abram to walk before Him and be perfect, and Abram willingly submitted to God’s government.

One of the great themes of the Bible is that true worshipers of God must submit to God’s authority.

Today, most so-called Christians do not retain God in their mind as the one who actively rules their everyday lives. True Christians are those who, like Abraham, subject themselves to God as their Ruler—those who, in the words of Joshua, stand up and say, “[B]ut as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

God rules over and intervenes in individual lives, families, nations and empires (e.g. Daniel 2:20-21; 4:17). Will you surrender to God and let Him rule your life?

God also rules His Church. The New Testament identifies the Church that Christ founded as the “Church of God.” It uses this phrase or variations (“the church of the living God” or its congregations “the churches of God”) 12 times. Twelve is the biblical number of organizational beginnings (12 sons of Jacob, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles chosen by Jesus). Some of these passages speak of individual congregations, but no fewer than five of them refer to the entire Church, including all its individual members, as the Church of God (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 11:22; 15:9; Galatians 1:13).

Many churches are named after their founder, such as the Lutherans and Wesleyans. Others are named after a particular doctrine, such as Baptists or Catholics. But the Bible reveals that the true Church will go by the name “Church of God.” The name denotes ownership, signifying who is the true Head of the Church: God Himself.

While the Church of God is a spiritual organism, a corporate organization is needed for the work of the ministry. God has raised up a work that lives up to its name.

Now, many organizations claim the name “Church of God.” Herbert W. Armstrong explained in his book Mystery of the Ages: “Yet none is truly the Church of God, unless it is God’s Church, continuing in doctrine, practice, organization, in all ways on the original biblical pattern, headed by Jesus Christ, yet belonging to God the Father, empowered by the Holy Spirit, having God’s truth, fulfilling Christ’s commission of proclaiming His good news of the Kingdom of God to the world as a whole.”

This also raises the important biblical truth that Jesus Christ not only founded the Church but is also its living Head (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23). He actively guides it, leading through His chosen leader and ministers, as well as through the members, just as He did in the first-century New Testament Church.

2) A Sabbath-keeping Church

The Church belongs to God Himself, is led directly and actively by Jesus Christ, and looks to Him for guidance in everything. Thus it believes the Bible is His inspired Word and seeks to “live … by every word” (Matthew 4:4).

A church that claims to follow God must keep the laws of God. Many people offer hundreds of excuses to reason around God’s commandments and laws. The true Church of God teaches the importance of commandment-keeping in letter and spirit. It teaches Matthew 5:17-18, where Christ said He did not come to do away with the law. It teaches the significance of Matthew 19:17, where Christ makes plain that keeping the commandments is a prerequisite to receiving eternal life.

One of these laws is the Sabbath day, established by God at creation (Genesis 2:1-3), kept by the Israelites prior to and during the Old Covenant (Exodus 16:23; 31:12-17), observed by Jesus Christ (Mark 1:21-22; Luke 4:16), and maintained by His apostles and the early Church even after His death (Acts 13:42-44; 15:21; 17:2; 18:4).

Sunday observance was a pagan practice associated with sun worship, adopted by the Catholic Church in the second century a.d. and codified by Emperor Constantine in a.d. 321. Catholics readily acknowledge that it comes from their traditions, not from the Bible. After the Reformation, Protestants rejected certain aspects of Catholic doctrine, yet the vast majority adheres to its Sunday observance to this day.

God’s true Church keeps the seventh-day Sabbath. In Exodus 31:13, God calls the Sabbath a “sign” of His people. Isn’t this helpful? God actually gives a sign indicating the identity of His true Church. His Church keeps the Sabbath. The true Church must be among those few churches that keep the Sabbath.

The true Church will not teach the Sabbath has been done away with or that the Sabbath can be kept on any day of the week. Its members will follow the example of Jesus Christ and His apostles by observing the Sabbath on the seventh day.

The members of God’s Church experience the many benefits of properly observing the Sabbath: physical rest, peace of mind, stronger families, spiritual rejuvenation, true Christian fellowship, a closer relationship with God and more.

God’s people must be an obedient people. God has always tested His people on their obedience to this command and their willingness to prioritize Sabbath observance over their jobs, their pleasures and their other pursuits.

The Bible records instance after instance in which God allowed His people to suffer conquest in no small part because they broke the Sabbath commandment (Ezekiel 20:10-26; Jeremiah 17:21-27; Nehemiah 13:15-18).

If you want to identify God’s Church, the Sabbath is an excellent place to start. This one biblical command quickly eliminates the vast majority of churches. You can enjoy an exhilarating study of this command by requesting from us a free copy of Herbert W. Armstrong’s booklet Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath?

God’s Church also keeps the annual Sabbaths (Leviticus 23). It understands that these annual holy days are far more than mere rituals: They contain an inspiring outline of God’s master plan for mankind, a plan much different from what most churches teach.

3) Freedom From Pagan Teachings

God’s Church does not keep festivals like Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Lent, Easter and other observances that originated in paganism. These are traditions of false religions and not the commandments of God—in fact, they actually break God’s commandments. All this is explained in another free booklet we would be happy to send you: Pagan Holidays—or God’s Holy Days—Which?

Have you ever studied into the beginnings of Christmas and Easter, two of the most popular “Christian” practices? Look them up!

That December 25 isn’t Christ’s birthday is easy to prove. A quick search will confirm that this day was observed by ancient pagans to worship the sun, including the “unconquered sun” of the Romans; the “sun of righteousness,” Mithras, of the Persians; and the god Osiris of the Egyptians. Pagan celebrations of Saturnalia and Brumalia were popularly held on that date.

“Christmas” celebrations preceded Christ’s birth by centuries. Around three centuries after His death, church leaders decided to preserve the celebration but affix Christ’s name to it. This upset many pious believers at the time. Nowhere does Scripture advocate celebrating Christ’s birthday—or any birthday, for that matter. In the Bible, birthdays are celebrated by pagans like Pharaoh and Herod, and sun worship is blatantly idolatrous.

Astonishingly, many churchgoers have learned the origins of these not-so-Christian observances and are unconcerned! ChristianHistory.net (a service of Christianity Today) concludes: “But while kowtowing to worldliness must always be a concern for Christians, the church has generally viewed efforts to reshape culture—including holidays—positively. As a theologian asserted in a.d. 320, ‘We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it.’”

Many Christians assume God smiles on such efforts. But notice Jeremiah 10:2-4: “Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen …. For the customs of the people are vain [or false]: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.” Given this clear directive, why would anyone cut down a tree, fasten it down in his home, and decorate it to celebrate anything, let alone a holiday supposedly intended to celebrate Jesus?

God tells us in the Bible how and how not He wants to be worshiped. The fact that most Christians will openly admit that they worship and observe days according to their own ideas and customs is another proof that Christ was right (see Matthew 15:3-9; Mark 7:6-9, for example).

“We hold this day holy,” the Christianity Today writer said of Christmas. On whose authority? It was not holy to begin with. Human beings cannot make anything holy. The best we can do is to keep holy what God has made holy—as He commanded we do with His weekly and annual Sabbaths.

This is just one example of common “Christian” teaching that not only doesn’t come from the Bible—it flatly contradicts the Bible. You can read more in our free booklet The Truth About Christmas. You will find a similar story about the paganism that gave birth to the “Christian” celebration of Christ’s resurrection in our reprint article “The Origin of Easter.”

Most “Christians” take several common beliefs and practices for granted without realizing that they are rooted in false, heathen religion and can be clearly disproved from Scripture.

God’s true Church believes God when He says Satan the devil has deceived “the whole world” and is “the god of this world,” which he has blinded to the truth (Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4). Revelation 17 and 18 expose a great false church that has made the nations spiritually drunk on the “wine” of false doctrines. God calls her “Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth” (Revelation 17:5). And He commands His people to come out of Babylon, “that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

As you evaluate the teachings of different churches, you have a duty to study into the true origins of commonly held beliefs and compare them against the Bible. Many doctrines that supposedly came from Jesus Christ were not broadly adopted by “Christians” until centuries after He died: the immortal soul; heaven being the reward of the saved; eternal hellfire the punishment for the wicked; the Holy Spirit being a member of a trinity; and dozens more. That is because Jesus Christ did not teach these doctrines.

God’s truth is pure (Psalm 12:6; James 3:17). It is not a mixture of good and evil, like the tree that led to death in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17). God’s people must worship Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). The true Church teaches the unadulterated truth of God, unmixed with Babylonish and other pagan or worldly teachings.

A good way to begin exposing and freeing your mind from false doctrines is to read Mystery of the Ages alongside your Bible, looking up each scripture as you go.

4) Godly Conduct

Another identifier of God’s Church is how its members live. Many people claim to believe in the Bible, but how many do what it says? A Christian is one who follows Christ. Yet few people follow the upright, uncompromising, balanced principles that Jesus Christ taught and lived by.

As a child, Christ showed respect and obedience to His physical parents, as He did throughout His life to His heavenly Father. He kept God’s commandments. He diligently kept God’s health laws, knowing that His fleshly body was the temple of the Holy Spirit. He strove for excellence and balance in everything while avoiding extremes. He condemned religion of appearances (Luke 18:10-14). He set the example of true meekness and humility, always seeking to do the Father’s will.

People are known by their fruits (Matthew 7:20). Jesus forewarned that men would profess His name but refuse to obey what He said (Luke 6:46; Matthew 15:7-9). Many churches turn grace into a license to live sinful lives, irrespective of what the Bible says. God’s true Church preaches repentance and obedience, made possible by God’s power and help (Acts 3:19).

True Christians are bought with a tremendous price (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). Upon true repentance and baptism, Christ’s shed blood pays the penalty for our sins (Acts 2:38). Repentance involves turning away from a life of sin and completely surrendering to Jesus Christ. True Christians subject their attitudes and will to God’s rule in their personal lives.

A true Christian knows he or she must literally be conquered by God. If you truly are, that will be reflected in your conduct! A true Christian loves God more than anyone or anything and loves neighbor as the self (Matthew 22:36-40). Though still flawed human beings, true Christians are doers and overcomers, striving daily with God’s help to become perfect in character (Matthew 5:48). They strive to submit themselves to God’s law, which encapsulates His way of life, mind, heart and attitude. It is not just a “religion” they think about once a week. Their lifestyle is different from the world’s.

A true Christian is called out of this world to live the lifestyle of the future today. That requires total repentance. True Christians strive to walk worthy of their calling. They are growing, developing, changing and overcoming. They slip and fail in the process of becoming converted, but they strive always to repent, to correct their errors, and conquer their sins.

If you have found the true Church, you will have found a group of people working actively to conquer their sins and weaknesses to allow God to perfect them. You will have found people who experience true joy, peace and fulfillment that only comes from continually surrendering the self to Jesus Christ and God the Father.

5) Government in the Church

Matthew 16:18 states that God’s true Church would be founded on the Rock—Jesus Christ Himself. God’s true Church is actively ruled by Christ as the Head. This Rock is the foundation of government in the Church.

Mr. Armstrong wrote of this verse in Mystery of the Ages, “The churches of this world of Satan are organized according to humanly devised patterns. But the Bible gives explicit directions in regard to Church government. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. God’s form of government is, indeed, hierarchical. God the Father—the sole Lawgiver and supreme authority—is Head over Christ.

“God explains in 1 Corinthians 12 functions, offices, administrations and their officers as God set them in His Church.”

From God the Father to Jesus Christ, to the man He uses, to the leaders who support that man, to the individual members, to husbands and fathers, to wives and mothers and to children—God’s government is effective, just, constructive and essential. Not every top-down government is God’s, of course, but God’s government is top down.

Jesus Christ actively leads His Church, directing a human leader through the Bible, revelation and the power of God’s Holy Spirit. That human leader exercises authority not as he sees fit but rather as he is directed by Christ.

Many churches today admit that they experiment with church governance. Some churches have “top-down” government structures, with one man having final authority, but they are led by those men, not by Christ. This limits division but results in tyranny—in the name of Christ. Other churches have government structures that involve “bottom up” voting, or rule by a small group, or some other form of rule besides “top-down.” This limits tyranny but produces division.

Practices like voting on what to believe push Jesus Christ aside. He is not the living Head of those churches!

Only the true Church of God has the government of God: top-down God Family government led by Jesus Christ, motivated by God’s love, and empowered by God’s Holy Spirit.

In the early Church, challenges and disputes arose that had to be settled by those in authority in the Church. The most famous such challenge is recorded in Acts 15. Unordained men, affected by their previous erroneous religious teaching, began to divide the Body of Christ. It became necessary to bring this matter to the authority at headquarters in Jerusalem (verses 1-2). It was Peter, the chief apostle, who made the decision (verses 7-11). James, pastor of the Jerusalem congregation where they were meeting, confirmed Peter’s decision publicly, thus resolving the dispute (verses 13-21).

The Apostle Paul submitted to God’s rule; this enabled God to give him authority to build God’s Church (1 Corinthians 11:1; 2 Corinthians 10:8, 12-13). Paul used that authority as God directed him (Romans 11:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13). God’s true ministers follow this example and submit to the same Spirit that directed Paul.

Ephesians 4:11-12 reinforce how God’s true Church is governed: “And he [Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” These ministerial offices within the Church carry the authority of God.

This authority is given to ministers to help people and relieve suffering caused by living the wrong way of life. They use that authority to back and support the message of God that can bring hope to people’s lives.

God calls each member and places him or her in the Body where it pleases Him (John 6:44; 1 Corinthians 12:18, 28), within that organizational structure.

Government in the Church is there to keep the unity of the faith. Through God’s government, God preserves the unity of the Church. It is the only way unity can be preserved. It helps to overcome obstacles, settle disputes and reach decisions. Without it, there would be confusion. There could be no smoothly functioning Body nor effective Work of God. Jesus Christ would not be its Head.

True Christians learn a lot by coming under God’s government today. It perfects those who submit to it. God uses it to serve His people (Luke 22:25-27). The Apostle Paul called God’s ministers “helpers of your joy” (2 Corinthians 1:24). Authority in God’s Church is not to be abused or used to control people’s lives.

God’s people are admonished to esteem the officers of God’s Church highly (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13). This does not mean exalting the physical man, who is a sinner like everyone else, but the office, which is God’s.

No other ecclesiastical institution stresses the importance of godly, righteous government like God’s Church does. God’s rule extends into every aspect of our lives. It is how He establishes and preserves order, purity and unity. It enables God’s Work on Earth, including the preaching of the good news of God’s soon-coming Kingdom.

Isaiah 9:6-7 is a prophecy of Jesus Christ—and of the government of God: “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end …”!

6) A Church With Revelation

Starting on that first Sabbath in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve received the opportunity to submit to the government of their Creator, learn His revelation, live His way, and achieve the incredible potential He had created them to achieve. They rejected Him and chose to decide good and evil for themselves, not from what God revealed. All of their descendants have made the same choice, as God closed off that opportunity to mankind in general (Genesis 3:24).

Yet as the Bible records, God did call out a select few to receive and live by His revelation.

God revealed truth directly to His prophets and apostles. The Bible itself is largely a record of revelation and instruction from God to these human servants (Ephesians 2:19-21; 2 Peter 1:21).

Today, God still reveals truth to His Church—through His government, specifically through the ministerial offices of apostle and prophet (Ephesians 3:5; Amos 3:7). Another crucial identifying sign of God’s Church is that it receives understanding and revelation about the Bible from God Himself.

The Bible says God’s Church would have the “testimony of Jesus [which] is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). In other words, the true Church of God receives deep understanding of the prophecies and mysteries of the Bible. This understanding empowers God’s Church to explain world events and forecast the future.

Many churches deny that God continues to give revelation to His Church. Some few believe that God is giving them revelation, but their teachings do not come from the inspired Word of God. Only God’s Church has the office of an apostle, through which God gives biblical understanding and new revelation. God continually guides and reveals new and deeper understanding built on previous revelation, squarely supported from the Bible.

In this end time, the Philadelphia era of God’s Church (see the prophecy of Revelation 3:7-13) had humble beginnings: It sprouted from an era that barely survived spiritually (verses 1-6). It blossomed as God began to restore all things through an apostle who was willing to believe God and draw all doctrine from the pages of the Bible.

God promised to send a man in the spirit of the Prophet Elijah in the end time, before Jesus Christ’s Second Coming (Malachi 4:5). Jesus Christ confirmed this prophecy and added the detail that this end-time “Elijah” would also “restore all things” (Matthew 17:10-11). These are prophecies most churches completely ignore. But you can understand how this prophecy was fulfilled in modern times by requesting our free booklet A Pivotal Sign of the End Time.

This role of Elijah was fulfilled by Herbert W. Armstrong. He restored all the foundational truths of the Bible to the Church of God in preparation for Christ’s return.

However, after he died in 1986, the church he founded repudiated these truths, entering the Laodicean era (Revelation 3:14-22).

Today, only a remnant of the Philadelphia era remains, clinging to the biblical truths God established in His end-time Church. In fact, it fought in court for the right to publish and give away freely Mystery of the Ages and other books and booklets containing this priceless revelation. (Request your free copy of Raising the Ruins to learn this amazing history.)

For faithfully preserving that truth, God has blessed this remnant with even more biblical revelation, through the office of an apostle, building on the truth of the previous era. An abundance of literature containing new revelation is full proof of that fact.

As end-time events accelerate, God continues to show how they fulfill the prophecies of the Bible. God’s true Church has the “more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19).

7) A God-given Commission

One final sure sign of which church is the true Church of God is the work it does. Many churches exist to attract and “save” members. This premise is inwardly focused. These churches compete with each other to cater to the personal needs and desires of its flock. People attend for social reasons or to merely satisfy a sense of belonging. The purpose of God’s true Church, its mission, extends outward.

God’s Church is commissioned to deliver God’s message to the world. When Jesus Christ was a human being, He did His Work using His physical body. Today, He accomplishes His Work through His spiritual Body, the Church. (This is another reason why Christ’s Body is not divided, as discussed in Chapter 1.) The mission of the true Church of God is to believe, live and proclaim the same gospel and warning message Jesus Christ taught.

Christ preached the good news of the coming Kingdom of God. He commanded repentance (Mark 1:15). Through His one true Church, today He still preaches the need for repentance—turning from our sinful ways to the ways of God—in preparation for His return and the establishment His Kingdom.

God’s true Church does not preach about simply getting salvation but about giving God’s message to whoever will hear it in preparation for Christ’s return and the rest of God’s master plan beyond.

“The greatest commission God ever gives to men is to take His message around the world and teach people about this new world!” Gerald Flurry writes in The True History of God’s True Church. Earlier in the book he writes, “God has given us the greatest commission He has ever given to man! In a time of increasing global crisis, we are here to deliver this message for God to this world.”

God commands true Christians to share His message of hope with the largest audience possible. We “prophesy again” as God’s apostle did during the Philadelphia era (Revelation 10:11). Following the death of Herbert Armstrong, only one group fought for the doctrines God had placed in His Church and the rights to distribute those doctrines. Only the Philadelphia Church of God is sending out that message again.

God’s true Church today is charged to support God’s apostle in declaring this life-saving message to the largest audience possible—ultimately every human being (Ephesians 3:9). God’s master plan is about gathering in all of mankind. All people need to be taught to teach and dispense God’s truth forever (this inspiring scripture is explained in our free booklet Prophesy Again). No other church or religion understands that.

In fact, God’s true Church is a “teachers’ college,” a place of training for the teachers of tomorrow’s world after the return of Christ!

When you understand the commission God has given His Church today, you see how it beautifully prepares both the Church and the world for the unfolding of God’s plan of salvation for all mankind. It brings God’s true Church to life with dynamic purpose and causes its members to grow spiritually as they support the Work of God.

You Can Find God’s Church

Most people simply do not accept and believe what Jesus Christ and the Bible writers stated about God’s Church. Their idea of what the Church should be is based largely on human assumptions and traditions. Many of these assumptions are contrary to the Bible and lead into thickets of false claims and error.

Let’s not assume!

You can prove where His one true Church is. You can prove its name, whether it is large or small, which day it keeps, what doctrines it teaches, what its members are like, how it is governed, what revelation it receives, and what work it is doing. Prove these things, and don’t settle for a counterfeit!

Christ promised that His faithful group of called-out ones would never perish. Here on Earth, there is a Church of God being led by Jesus Christ under God the Father. It preserves and proclaims His revelation. It does its best to proclaim Christ’s message to as many as will listen and prove it from their Bible.

Deeply study your Bible. Jesus Christ did found His Church. It has not died. There is one true Church of God—and with God drawing and guiding you, you can find it!

For a more comprehensive understanding of this vital subject, request Mystery of the Ages, by Herbert W. Armstrong, and read Chapter 6, “Mystery of the Church.”

A man who had been receiving material from the Philadelphia Church of God for decades told one of our staff, “I’d like to attend church with you, but I’m probably not good enough.” In his mind, he had disqualified himself, convinced he wouldn’t measure up to the Church’s lofty expectations.

Some people hold the notion that the members of God’s Church are already perfect. Here is what Jesus Christ said about this: “… They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17).

That’s right: God’s Church is full of sinners. But we are sinners called to repentance—people actively working to overcome the sin in our lives. Sin is not the disqualifying factor; complacency with sin is.

There is irony in Christ’s statement. The truth is that all people are spiritually sick and need “the physician,” Jesus Christ. He “came not to call the righteous”—yet in reality, “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Anyone who thinks himself “whole” fails to recognize “the plague of his own heart” (1 Kings 8:38). He is not righteous, but self-righteous. He is not only sick, but blind. This deception enshrouds the whole world (Revelation 12:9). Until someone sees his sickness, Christ cannot heal him.

But like many others (perhaps you), this man recognized his sin—at least a portion of it. But he felt inadequate to overcome it or powerless to attain God’s standards.

It is true that God has high standards. Jesus articulated the ultimate standard for all of us: “Be [become is a more accurate translation] ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). But we are hardly called in that state. Striving to build God’s perfect character is a process—an arduous, lifelong process.

Herbert W. Armstrong told a story in an October 1957 sermon about a man who lamented that he wasn’t strong enough to overcome, who felt like giving up. Mr. Armstrong responded: “Of course you can’t, but Christ in you can! … Why [not] go more to Him in prayer? Why don’t you cry out to Him and say, ‘Lord God, I’m weak; I can’t do it, but you can! You’re strong. … Lord God, give me the strength that I may overcome!’”

The Apostle Paul, one of the spiritual giants of all human history, held this perspective, saying “that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15). This mighty spiritual warrior considered himself chief among sinners. Having been a fanatical persecutor and murderer of saints, Paul had no misconceptions about his virtue apart from God. “However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life” (verse 16; New King James Version). If God can forgive me and use me, he was saying, he can use anyone.

If you feel inadequate to be in God’s Church, you are right. Not one of us is good enough! In fact, the biggest obstacle preventing most people from understanding God’s truth is their feelings of personal adequacy. Perhaps the singular quality that differentiates the members of God’s Church is the humility to recognize just how inadequate we are.

However, inadequacy should be a prod to action, not an excuse for inaction. Human nature is inventive, resourceful and resilient; it will devise a dozen rationales for why we are as we are, and a hundred excuses for not doing anything about it. God links inactivity—hearing but not doing—with self-deception (James 1:22).

“I’m not good enough” sounds humble—it is not. True humility drives a person toward God, not away from Him (e.g. Isaiah 57:15).

When it distances you from God, it is faithlessness masquerading as humility. It is sin. “[W]hatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). And if that is what holds you back from turning to God, it is a sin more destructive than whatever you feel makes you unworthy.

Don’t limit God’s power. No matter how grievous your sins, God can wash you of them. Read Isaiah 1:18. It evokes an image of fabric deeply stained from repeated dippings in scarlet dye—but which God cleanses and purifies so thoroughly that it is gleaming white. With Christ’s blood and God’s power, the blackest heart can be made bright—the grisliest scarring can be renewed and regenerated!

Seeing a sinner repent literally gives God and the angels a hundredfold more joy than a just person who needs no repentance (Luke 15:7). Don’t allow your insecurity or rationalization to deny God that joy.